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HE'S GAY! :ROFLMAO:
I don't know why I think this is funny
N.J. Governor Resigns, Admits Gay Affair
By JOHN P. McALPIN, Associated Press Writer
TRENTON, N.J. - In a stunning declaration, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an extramarital affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said with his wife by his side at a nationally televised news conference.
"Shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affairs with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony," the twice-married father of two said. "It was wrong, it was foolish, it was inexcusable."
The Democrat said his resignation would be effective Nov. 15. Senate President Richard J. Codey, a Democrat, will become acting governor and serve out the remainder of McGreevey's term, which ends in early 2006. If McGreevey were to leave office before Nov. 15, a special election would be held.
McGreevey, 47, refused to answer questions at the Statehouse news conference. He said that "it makes little difference that as governor I am gay," but added that staying in office and keeping the affair and his sexual orientation secret will leave the governor's office "vulnerable to rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure."
"Given the circumstances surrounding the affair and its likely impact upon my family and my ability to govern, I have decided the right course of action is to resign," he said.
He did not elaborate on what the circumstances were.
The man involved in the affair, a former government employee, demanded "an exorbitant sum of money to make it go away," a high-ranking administration official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity. Cabinet members and administration officials learned of that threat Wednesday night, the source said.
Rumors had been circulating for several years that McGreevey was gay, reaching the level of open hints on New Jersey talk radio shows.
A Roman Catholic, McGreevey had a daughter with his first wife, Kari, who lives in British Columbia with the child. He has another daughter with his current wife. McGreevey spokesman Micah Rasmussen declined to answer any questions about the future of McGreevey's marriage.
As a candidate and governor, McGreevey proudly discussed his Catholic faith but publicly disagreed with church leaders over his support for abortion rights and same-sex partnerships. He pushed for the state's domestic partnership law, which went into effect this year.
In an announcement that at times was deeply introspective, McGreevey referred to his lifelong struggles with his sexuality.
"Throughout my life, I have grappled with my own identity, who I am," he said. "As a young child, I often felt ambivalent about myself, in fact, confused."
"At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world, not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is," McGreevey added.
McGreevey rose from suburban mayor to state chief executive by his tenacious pursuit of party politics, maintaining a power base days after he narrowly lost to Republican Christie Whitman in 1997.
McGreevey never truly stopped that campaign until he won in November 2001, beating Republican Bret Schundler by 15 percentage points.
Despite inheriting a $5 billion budget deficit, he steadfastly refused to boost income taxes for most New Jerseyans. He instead raised taxes on millionaires, casinos and cigarettes and provided millions of dollars worth of property tax rebates that have been showing up in residents' mailboxes in recent weeks.
But McGreevey has been dogged by several scandals involving fund-raising.
Among those caught up in recent scandals were his first chief of staff and former counsel; a top Democratic fund-raiser and former high school classmate; and real estate developer Charles Kushner, McGreevey's biggest campaign contributor, who was charged with trying to thwart a federal campaign-finance investigation by luring a grand jury witness ? his own brother-in-law ? into a compromising position with a prostitute and sending video and photos to the man's wife.
McGreevey is the second governor to announce his resignation in recent weeks, following the resignation in June of Connecticut GOP Gov. John Rowland amid corruption investigations and threats of impeachment.
New Jersey residents expressed disbelief at the news. "We thought it was a joke," said Jeanne Montana, who heard the announcement on her car radio on the way to Atlantic City.
"Get out of here," Jim Nerney said when told the news by an Associated Press reporter at a Parkway rest stop. Convinced it was true, he shook his head.
Gay rights activists said McGreevey's decision is troubling.
"It is a very sad to thing to watch. It is kind of stunning, sad to me that in 2004 people are still having to struggle because of homophobia in society to come to terms with who they are," said Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal.
Born in Jersey City, McGreevey graduated from Columbia University in 1978. He earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 1981 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University a year later.
After briefly serving as a county prosecutor, McGreevey became a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company, then a state government official. While in the Legislature, McGreevey voted for Gov. Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax hike that prompted a voter rebellion against Democrats.
You know the Republicans are going to party this one up.
I don't know why I think this is funny
N.J. Governor Resigns, Admits Gay Affair
By JOHN P. McALPIN, Associated Press Writer
TRENTON, N.J. - In a stunning declaration, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an extramarital affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said with his wife by his side at a nationally televised news conference.
"Shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affairs with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony," the twice-married father of two said. "It was wrong, it was foolish, it was inexcusable."
The Democrat said his resignation would be effective Nov. 15. Senate President Richard J. Codey, a Democrat, will become acting governor and serve out the remainder of McGreevey's term, which ends in early 2006. If McGreevey were to leave office before Nov. 15, a special election would be held.
McGreevey, 47, refused to answer questions at the Statehouse news conference. He said that "it makes little difference that as governor I am gay," but added that staying in office and keeping the affair and his sexual orientation secret will leave the governor's office "vulnerable to rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure."
"Given the circumstances surrounding the affair and its likely impact upon my family and my ability to govern, I have decided the right course of action is to resign," he said.
He did not elaborate on what the circumstances were.
The man involved in the affair, a former government employee, demanded "an exorbitant sum of money to make it go away," a high-ranking administration official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity. Cabinet members and administration officials learned of that threat Wednesday night, the source said.
Rumors had been circulating for several years that McGreevey was gay, reaching the level of open hints on New Jersey talk radio shows.
A Roman Catholic, McGreevey had a daughter with his first wife, Kari, who lives in British Columbia with the child. He has another daughter with his current wife. McGreevey spokesman Micah Rasmussen declined to answer any questions about the future of McGreevey's marriage.
As a candidate and governor, McGreevey proudly discussed his Catholic faith but publicly disagreed with church leaders over his support for abortion rights and same-sex partnerships. He pushed for the state's domestic partnership law, which went into effect this year.
In an announcement that at times was deeply introspective, McGreevey referred to his lifelong struggles with his sexuality.
"Throughout my life, I have grappled with my own identity, who I am," he said. "As a young child, I often felt ambivalent about myself, in fact, confused."
"At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world, not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is," McGreevey added.
McGreevey rose from suburban mayor to state chief executive by his tenacious pursuit of party politics, maintaining a power base days after he narrowly lost to Republican Christie Whitman in 1997.
McGreevey never truly stopped that campaign until he won in November 2001, beating Republican Bret Schundler by 15 percentage points.
Despite inheriting a $5 billion budget deficit, he steadfastly refused to boost income taxes for most New Jerseyans. He instead raised taxes on millionaires, casinos and cigarettes and provided millions of dollars worth of property tax rebates that have been showing up in residents' mailboxes in recent weeks.
But McGreevey has been dogged by several scandals involving fund-raising.
Among those caught up in recent scandals were his first chief of staff and former counsel; a top Democratic fund-raiser and former high school classmate; and real estate developer Charles Kushner, McGreevey's biggest campaign contributor, who was charged with trying to thwart a federal campaign-finance investigation by luring a grand jury witness ? his own brother-in-law ? into a compromising position with a prostitute and sending video and photos to the man's wife.
McGreevey is the second governor to announce his resignation in recent weeks, following the resignation in June of Connecticut GOP Gov. John Rowland amid corruption investigations and threats of impeachment.
New Jersey residents expressed disbelief at the news. "We thought it was a joke," said Jeanne Montana, who heard the announcement on her car radio on the way to Atlantic City.
"Get out of here," Jim Nerney said when told the news by an Associated Press reporter at a Parkway rest stop. Convinced it was true, he shook his head.
Gay rights activists said McGreevey's decision is troubling.
"It is a very sad to thing to watch. It is kind of stunning, sad to me that in 2004 people are still having to struggle because of homophobia in society to come to terms with who they are," said Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal.
Born in Jersey City, McGreevey graduated from Columbia University in 1978. He earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 1981 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University a year later.
After briefly serving as a county prosecutor, McGreevey became a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company, then a state government official. While in the Legislature, McGreevey voted for Gov. Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax hike that prompted a voter rebellion against Democrats.
You know the Republicans are going to party this one up.
] but his lover was a foreigner from Israel who he assigned head post of homeland security for the state of New Jersey. the issue of homosexuality is just simply window dressing for a much more comprehensive triangle of deceit! If I lived in New Jersey I would be outraged! the governor is also being investigated for government funds for his own private interests. allegedly he owns a few companies that after close scrutiny of their financial records, the trail for some really BIG state contract money (8 million) leads back to you know who, yep treasurer for the state of New Jersey.
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